Stroudsburg sweeps MVC track & field championship meet again

EAST STROUDSBURG — Keyautay Aulder's start out of the blocks was superb. His closing speed may have been even better.

MIKE KUHNS

EAST STROUDSBURG — Keyautay Aulder's start out of the blocks was superb. His closing speed may have been even better.

The Stroudsburg sprinter had a big day, winning the 100 and running the anchor on the Mounties' winning 4x100 relay as Stroudsburg won the Mountain Valley Conference track and field championships for the sixth straight year at East Stroudsburg South High School's Memorial Stadium on Monday.

Aulder's victories highlighted a total of eight event winners for the Mounties, who easily held off second place East Stroudsburg South 186-114. Pleasant Valley was third with 97 points.

In the girls meet, Stroudsburg swept all three relays with Kiana Tucker anchoring two, and Aspen Gaita won the long jump on her last attempt. Stroudsburg finished with 164 team points, well ahead of second place Lehighton (113½).

Aulder had a fantastic day, turning around a mid-season loss to Eastburg South's talented Demetrius Lanier in the 100 and then holding off Lanier on the anchor leg of the 4x100.

"Demetrius from South, he's good, he's really good," Stroudsburg coach Jim Miller said. "He's Langston's (Northern) speed of last year. Keyautay just came out of the blocks so fast today. To take the first in the 100 is unbelievable."

After Aulder won the 100 in 10.76, he got the baton with the lead in the 4x100 on the anchor. Aaron White, Kenny Tucker, Altarique Mosley and Aulder won in 42.96.

"I feel like my position is to finish off the race for them, to finish off the job they started and the lead they give me," Aulder said.

Lanier won the 200 in 22.38, ahead of Stroudsburg's Donovan McDonald (22.66) and Aulder (22.75).

The warm temperatures brought fast times and big heights.

Pocono Mountain East's Joey Fogle continued his dominance in the pole vault, winning with a height of 14-feet. He's cleared 14-6 earlier this year.

Pleasant Valley's Jack Wathen won the 800 (1:59.76) and the 1,600 (4:39.48). His 800 time was just off the school record 1:59.34.

"That's my goal. Now I've got to go get it," Wathen said of the school record.

He'll get another shot at the District 11 championships May 15-16 at Blue Mountain.

Another guy headed there is Donovan Clay of Stroudsburg. The high jumper has cleared a school-record 6-foot-7 this year, but settled at 6-4 to win Monday.

"When I came out today, I was looking to jump higher than I did," Clay said. "I didn't really get to where I wanted to be, but it's something to build on when I get to districts and hopefully states. Every day is not going to be a 6-7 day."

In the girls meet, it was a good day for East Stroudsburg South sprinter Lauren Channer, who won the 100 (12.62) and 200 (26.14).

PV's Samantha Young was a double winner, taking the 1,600 (5:30.79) and 3,200 (12:02.93).

Pocono West's Ramonia Benitez landed two gold medals in the 100 hurdles (15.76) and the triple jump, but had a third snatched from her at the last moment. Stroudsburg's Aspen Gaita won the long jump on the last attempt at 17-feet.

Gaita, the District 11 champ last year as a freshman, finally looks healthy after suffering an injury earlier this year. She jumped 18-feet-1/2 last year to win at districts.

"Hopefully my training will carry me through to another 18," Gaita said. "Hopefully I can defend my title."